AHCCCS still fielding questions about Brewer's healthcare plan

Representatives of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) say they've been getting calls about Governor Brewer's Medicaid expansion plan ever since people first heard about it.

At first, people were worried about the health coverage provided under Arizona's Proposition 204.

"That is the voter initiative where Arizona voters mandated that all Arizonans living at 100 percent of poverty or below be covered by the AHCCCS program," said AHCCCS Spokeswoman Monica Coury.

The recession caused the state to freeze enrollment in a Prop 204 provision that covered adults without children.
Because of the freeze, many of them were sent to hospital emergency rooms when they needed routine medical treatment.

Coury says Brewer's plan, which was approved by the Arizona Legislature last week, reinstates that enrollment.

There's also been questions about money.

"We have heard a few concerns from people who didn't understand the Governor's plan who think that this would somehow costs Arizona taxpayers money," said Coury.

Coury also noted that Arizona taxpayers aren't footing the bill for the plan.

"It is being funded through hospital assessment," she said.

Coury claims the Governor's Medicaid expansion plan is the best plan for Arizona.

Favorite news memory: We have to go
back to October 15, 1979. I was a country
music air personality at KROP Radio in
Brawley, California, when we had a 6.7
earthquake. Thankfully, there were no deaths
and only minor injuries, but the entire
community was pretty freaked out and
listening to the station on their transistor
radios. I would not want to go through an
earthquake again, but it sure was a great
night to work in radio and see how it can
make a difference in people's lives.

First job: Working as a stringer
for 'The Arizona Republic' at high school
football games. My first real job was
flipping burgers at the old Sandy's
Hamburgers at 51st Avenue and Indian School
Road. My first radio job was as announcer at
KALJ radio in Yuma in 1977.

First concert: My Dad took me to see Jimmy Dean at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in the 1960's. It was before the Coliseum was built. The only thing I remember is Jimmy Dean singing his big hit "Big Bad John."

Favorite sports team: Phoenix
Roadrunners minor league hockey. My dad took
me to a game when I was in grade school, and
I was hooked. I wanted to be a radio hockey
play-by-play man. I used to take my cassette
recorder and sit up in the rafters of the
Coliseum and do play-by-play. It was great
later in life to also take my son to
Roadrunners games. Too bad the team just
folded, I'll miss them. (Going to the
Coyotes is fun, but they're not "my" team.)

Outside interests: My family and I
are active in our church - Shiloh Community Church in Phoenix.
Devin is a high school student at Scottsdale Christian Academy. He plays on the baseball, football, and basketball teams and sings in the choir. Obviously, we keep busy trying to go to all his events!
We enjoy going to movies, sporting events, and long road trips. We like to vacation at the Beach Cottages in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego. And I love to play catch, basketball, football with my son.